


Fly High

by freshywritescrap (freshiewrites)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blue and Rus end up in Underfell, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, More tags to be added, edgeberry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:41:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29202267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freshiewrites/pseuds/freshywritescrap
Summary: "Don't worry... it'll all be okay."
Relationships: Papyrus/Sans (Undertale), Underfell papyrus/Underswap sans
Comments: 17
Kudos: 27





	1. Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SteamySpectacles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteamySpectacles/gifts).



> wooo a new fic because i have no self control XDDD
> 
> real talk this is for steamyspectacles lol i hope you enjoy :D
> 
> mind the tags!!

The snow drifts were entirely too deep, in Papyrus’ opinion. Life in the Underground was hell enough, but dealing with the miscreants and LV rabid monsters that lived in Snowdin Forest, while also having to plow through a foot of snow to get anywhere was a little tiring. 

He was being honest when he said that he wouldn’t be surprised if one day the snow was his downfall. His combat boots made things a little easier, but he was still slower after a blizzard than he would have liked. Sans was almost always at his side, ready to snipe any targets that came from behind, but today he’d been summoned by the King to do a Judgement. 

Papyrus detested Judgements. They left his brother feeling worn down and exhausted, which was no way to make his way back home, his magic having been wasted on some supposed criminal that likely was just trying to feed their family. There was no fair system, no real trial or jury, just a tyrant that wanted blood for the slights of the innocent. 

If he’d had his choice, Papyrus would have overthrown the King years ago, but Undyne would have never forgiven him. Might have even fought against him, and he couldn’t…  _ wouldn’t  _ kill his best friend. She’d have to be taken out of the equation if he was to do much of anything about the power imbalance, and so far he’d not found a solution-

The sound of a branch cracking made Papyrus stop in his tracks, listening intently for the breathing of whatever monster was trying to sneak up on him. There was nothing, which meant that they didn’t have to breathe… at least not much. He stood straight, crimson eyelights scouring the spaces between the trees off the path, and gave a commanding bark.

“Who is there, sneaking around the forest? I’ll let you live if you come out peacefully.”

He was a skeleton of his word; as soon as there was a shuffling around one far off tree, he let his magic cool down. The intent slowly diffused through the air, and a small, but deep voice came from the tree.

“If… if I come out, you won’t hurt us?”

Papyrus tilted his head, curious but a little worried. “You have my word as guardsman.”

There was a bit more shuffling, before a short skeleton, one that had an uncanny resemblance to his brother, stepped out, gloved hands worrying around a torn blue bandana. His eyelights were white pinpricks, a hunted look on his face as his eyes darted around, as if checking for anyone close by. 

“My name is Papyrus, what do you go by?” he asked, watching as the other skeleton’s face seemed to brighten up, before dimming again. It was an expression he’d seen before, but not on anyone else’s face but his brother’s. It was confirming a lot about the situation that Papyrus didn’t really want confirmed, but what he said next all but cinched it.

“I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that already, heh.” he answered, before reaching back behind the tree again, heaving with what sounded like a great effort. Papyrus watched, slack jawed as a much taller skeleton was dragged out, a large tear in the front of their garishly orange hoodie. 

There was marrow staining the front, both dried and new, and the… the  _ Sans  _ staring up at him with pleading eyes only had to say a single “Please help us.” before Papyrus was pulling out his phone and several monster candies as he knelt down in the snow to help.

~.~

It took nearly 20 minutes for Sans to arrive, his own Sans, and in that time he’d named this new Sans and Papyrus “Blue” and “Rus”. Blue for the bright color of his bandana, and Rus because Papyrus was unimaginative and the guy needed a name that  _ wasn’t  _ his own. 

Blue had been amenable enough to the nickname, steadily feeding his brother the candies and using intermittent bursts of healing magic that had Papyrus gawking. There were few in the Underground that knew how to heal, and even fewer that would use it so openly like this. 

Subtly checking Blue, then Rus when his fears were confirmed, Papyrus sighed as he sat back on his heels. Not a single LV to their names, which meant that this was part of his brother’s interdimensional shenanigans.

Sans showed up like usual, hands in his pockets and a rigid grin on his face. Blue didn’t seem intimidated at least; if anything he seemed exhausted, and with all the magic he’d been expending, Papyrus believed it. 

The first thing Sans did was ask “So where the fuck are yer two from?”

Blue had sighed, relaxing back against the tree as his brother laid in his lap. “Universe 3611, or at least that’s what dear ole dad had us marked down as.” He looked up, staring Sans in the eyes. “We can’t go back.”

Sans stared down at them both, Papyrus watching as he seemingly made a few mental notes about the situation, before nodding.

“Naw, we wouldn’ expect ya to.” Sans crouched down, giving Rus another good look. “You know how to shortcut, ‘er is that his thing.”

Blue was hard staring at them both, seemingly trying to decide if they could be trusted, before shrugging. “We both can, but I don’t think he remembers how.”

Sans nodded. “Karma’s a bitch. Alrigh’, grab hold and don’ let go.”

Papyrus knew to take hold of his brother’s coat then, his main concern that Sans wouldn’t be able to make the full trip with how much magic he’d expended doing the Judgement, but in two short hops they were in their house, his first instincts to check every room, leading him from window to window as Sans helped Blue set his brother on the couch. 

He listened as they both talked under their breath about different possibilities for how they’d gotten here, seemingly unsure but simultaneously aggravated about the turn of events.

“The kid… just didn’t even try to hold back.” Blue had admitted while Papyrus was checking the front door, the cold press of a blade to his throat making him cringe. 

Still, he stood at the side of the couch as Sans sunk into it, exhausted, and put his hands on his hips.

“Don’t worry Blue, we’ll figure a way to make this work!” 

Blue smiled at him, seemingly sadly, but nodded. “Yeah, we will.” Gazing down at his brother, he seemed to slump. “Somehow.”

And just like that, Papyrus was determined.


	2. Beans and Bread

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woooo next chapter !!!
> 
> i hope you all enjoy :D
> 
> (warnings for economic hardship, and less food than is ideal)

Papyrus had only been around Blue for half a day, and he already knew that Blue was, for lack of a better phrase, depressed as fuck. It wasn’t hard to see, with the heavy way he carried himself and the dark circles under his eyes, but he seemed cheerful enough when Papyrus asked him if he wanted to help make lunch.

“Sure! What all do you have to make?” Blue answered, staring up with a tight smile. Papyrus ignored it; he’d be pretty terse if Sans was the one hurt. Had been in that situation before, even, but they’d made it both out alive, is what mattered.

“Well…” Papyrus started, heading for the kitchen, leading Blue into the rather tiny room. He leaned down, opening the closet pantry to parse through their meager cans left from the last official parcel. “I think we can make a bit of a stew, it’ll keep for a few days and there can be enough to feed us all until then.”

Blue’s eyes went wide, staring at the pantry and something about the aghast expression on his face made Papyrus wonder just how much food Blue had back home to work with. “This… this is all you have?”

Papyrus felt a little defensive at that, squaring his shoulders as he started grabbing various cans. They’d need to stretch their meals a little more than usual, what with two new people in their house, but he’d make it work until the next parcel. 

“Yes. Is that a problem?” he asked, carefully not snapping at Blue but also not looking in his direction as he sat the cans on the counter, turning the temperamental stove top on. Blue hadn’t said anything, not until Papyrus had retrieved his large pot from over the stove.

“No! No it's not a problem, just… I wasn’t expecting you to have… that little.”

Papyrus tilted his head at that, glancing back at a sheepish Blue, who was staring down at the cans. Papyrus could see pity there, and the sight of it made a pinch in his soul. He didn’t stand for pity, not from Sans and not from an alternate version of Sans. 

“We do what we can. Would you still like to help prepare it?” It was an olive branch, that Papyrus wasn’t going to turn on him for a social faux pa, and Blue took it happily.

“Yeah, I would. Where’s your can opener?”

~.~

Sans sat on the couch, air slowly wheezing in and out of his chest as he laid there, staring up at the ceiling. The kid next to him, some backwards version of his brother, hadn’t woken up yet and something told Sans that was for the better at this point. 

The rich smell of stew was slowly filling the air, which meant that Papyrus was actually using some of the spices and herbs he cultivated in the shed out back. Showing off for the new guests, if Sans had to guess, but that meant the food wouldn’t be tasteless beans at least. 

Which was not to say that Sans didn’t appreciate the food that Papyrus worked so hard to get. They got more food than anyone in town for his little brother’s job as Captain of the Guard, and yet they usually gave the lot of it away to the poor saps that were raising kids. 

It wasn’t fair, being in stripes around here. Paps had made it as safe as he possibly could, doing whatever it took to get the trash out of town and set up barricades so that it would be near impossible to get back in unless you were invited. 

But hunger… that was something that could only be solved with food, and while Sans had his reservations about giving so much of their own food away, when he saw the grateful glances of the kids that followed his brother around when he went to visit the people of Snowdin…

Somehow that made it worth it.

Which of course, meant that most of the time, their meals consisted of tasteless beans, and Sans was damn grateful for it.

The rich scent was making the lanky bastard next to him stir, Sans tensing up but not opening his eyes as a whimper of pain sounded from his prone body. Surely he’d not do something stupid, like sit up when his chest was damn near sliced through, but sure enough Sans felt the slow movement of someone sitting up on the couch, “Rus’s" intent confused but wary as he seemed to realize he wasn’t home. 

“If you wait a few minutes, yer bro’ll be in here with some food.”

There was a sharp intake of breath, Sans sighing as he finally opened his eyes, staring into the fearful sockets of the skeleton next to him.

The sharp crackle of magic, complete instinct, had Sans raising a hand, the kid’s soul turning blue and pressing him back into the couch with just enough pressure that he got the message.

“Listen up, asshole, yer under our roof, under our rules. No magic in the damn house, unless it's healin’, or somethin’ a bit more under the belt if you catch my meanin’.” 

The other made a face, but Sans just chuckled. “You keep to yourself, you’ll do just fine.”

Laying back against the couch, Rus stared at him still, but Sans let up on the blue magic pinning him down. He’d be fine now, soon as he saw his bro he’d be better. With some food he’d be absolutely fantastic, seeing as how Paps was more’n likely adding a shit ton of healing intent to the stew. Tasteless beans that still had a bite, Sans thought to himself with a grin.

He was damn tired though, damn worn out and as soon as he ate he was having a real nap, his shift be damned. Papyrus could deal with the newbies, wasn’t like the kid didn’t deal with everything already as it was.

Wasn’t Sans’ job to babysit but damn if it didn’t always fall on him anyway.


End file.
